Overweight and obesity have reached epidemic proportions and current estimates indicate that at least 64.5% of Kent County adults are overweight or obese. Additionally, in the last 20 years, overweight and obesity rates have doubled in children and tripled in adolescents. Many health experts predict that the current generation of children will be the first in modern history to have a shorter life span than their parents’ generation.
Why is extra weight an issue? There is a strong link between being overweight or obese and having an increased risk of death or disease, such as coronary heart disease, type-2 diabetes, cancer, asthma, and arthritis. In addition, these individuals may face social stigmatization, discrimination, and poor body image.
Physical activity and healthy eating play important roles in preventing extra weight. Despite the proven benefits of physical activity, more than 61% of Kent County adults do not get enough physical activity to provide health benefits, and less than only one-third of adults eat the recommended five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day. |
